[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 56 (Thursday, March 30, 2017)]
[House]
[Pages H2576-H2577]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM

  (Mr. HOYER asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I rise for the purpose of inquiring of the 
majority leader the schedule for the week to come.
  I yield to the gentleman from California (Mr. McCarthy), my friend.
  (Mr. McCARTHY asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. McCARTHY. I thank the gentleman for yielding.
  Mr. Speaker, on Monday the House will meet at noon for morning-hour 
and 2 p.m. for legislative business. Votes will be postponed until 
6:30.
  On Tuesday and Wednesday, the House will meet at 10 a.m. for morning-
hour and noon for legislative business.
  On Thursday, the House will meet at 9 a.m. for legislative business. 
Last votes of the week are expected no later than 3 p.m.
  On Friday, no votes are expected in the House.
  Mr. Speaker, the House will consider a number of suspensions next 
week, a complete list of which will be announced by close of business 
tomorrow.
  In addition, the House will consider several bipartisan measures from 
the Committee on Financial Services that will create jobs and support 
American entrepreneurship. First, H.R. 1343, the Encouraging Employee 
Ownership Act, sponsored by Representative Randy Hultgren, which will 
open up more opportunities for employees to share a stake in the 
companies they work for every day.
  Next, H.R. 1219, the Supporting America's Innovators Act, sponsored 
by Chief Deputy Whip Patrick McHenry. This bill will increase access to 
capital for America's small businesses and startups and ensure our 
entrepreneurs have the best chance to succeed. Mr. McHenry's bill is 
also a key component of our Innovation Initiative in the House, which 
aims to accelerate private sector innovation and leverage more 
innovation in government.
  Finally, Mr. Speaker, additional legislative items are possible, and 
I will relay scheduling information to Members if any items are added.
  Mr. HOYER. I thank the gentleman for that information.
  As the majority leader knows, after today we will have 8 legislative 
days left before the CR runs out on April 28. We will be gone, as the 
gentleman knows, for 2 weeks, or a few more days than that, for the 
Easter break. We have not enacted any appropriation bills except for 
the MILCON-VA and the Defense Appropriation bill we passed through this 
House in a bipartisan vote and that is pending in the Senate.

                              {time}  1045

  Given the limited number of days in session before April 28, we are 
going to require relatively quick action if we are to fund the 
government for the balance of the year past April 28.
  Mr. Leader, can you tell me--because no appropriation bill or CR or 
omnibus was on the schedule for next week, can the gentleman tell me 
when he expects some form of continuing to authorize expenditures for 
the balance of the year between now and September 30 will occur?
  Mr. Speaker, I yield to my friend.
  Mr. McCARTHY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.
  Discussions are ongoing about the appropriations process and how to 
ensure the government is funded after April 28.
  I thank my good friend from Maryland for being a good faith 
negotiating partner in this effort.
  I do not currently anticipate floor action next week. But as always, 
I will advise Members as soon as possible when action is scheduled in 
the House.
  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for those comments.
  Does the gentleman contemplate the possibility of a short-term CR 
being necessary?
  Mr. Speaker, I yield to my friend.
  Mr. McCARTHY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding again.
  I was encouraged by the bipartisan agreements we reached on the 
MILCON/VA bill and the defense appropriations bill. As you know, 
together, these two bills make up roughly one half of our total 
discretionary spending.
  However, I was disappointed to hear that Democrats have apparently 
walked away from the negotiating table on further bipartisan agreements 
like these. Personally, I was disappointed to hear rumors that 
Democrats are hoping for a government shutdown.
  The New York Times is reporting that, ``as a minority party 
struggling to show resistance in the era of President Trump''--
Democrats--``are now ready to let the lights of government go dark.''
  I sincerely hope these rumors and reports are not true. I know the 
gentleman disagrees with ever having a government shutdown.
  As I mentioned, discussions are ongoing about how to ensure the 
government is funded after April 28. I want everybody to know that my 
door is always open, especially to you, my friend from Maryland, and 
any other House

[[Page H2577]]

colleague who wants to play a constructive role in the process. I 
firmly believe the government will not shut down. It will be funded as 
we continue further.
  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for that information 
and comments.
  Frankly, I want to tell the majority leader, honestly, nobody on my 
side, maybe someplace else, but nobody on my side is wanting to shut 
down the government. We don't want to shut down the government.
  Of course, I will remind my friend, the majority leader--and I 
appreciate his comments about our cooperation and ability to work 
together--the only way the government has been kept open over the last 
5 years has been with Democratic votes. My friend didn't have 218 votes 
on his side of the aisle that would do that. So I think that belies the 
fact that we want to shut down the government.
  I would assure my friend that that is neither our intent or desire. 
As a matter of fact, we want to work quickly to avoid that happening. 
That is not good for, obviously, the American people, it is not good 
for managers trying to plan on how to deliver services, and it is 
certainly not good for our Federal employees. So I would want to work 
with you to make sure that doesn't happen.
  As we have in the past, we will be prepared to provide votes, as we 
have every time, to ensure that that does not happen.
  Let me ask my friend, as we work towards the end of not shutting down 
government and passing, hopefully, an omnibus which will complete the 
2017 appropriations process and fund the government through September 
30, let me ask him--he was quoting some information. I have a quote for 
him as well. I know he would be disappointed if I didn't have a quote. 
This is not nearly as difficult as some of the others, however. It 
says:

       House Republicans are considering making another run next 
     week at the passing of the healthcare bill that they abruptly 
     pulled from the floor in a setback to their efforts to repeal 
     ObamaCare. Two Republican lawyers say the leaders are 
     discussing holding a vote, even staying into next weekend, if 
     necessary, but it is unclear what changes would be made to 
     the GOP's healthcare bill . . .

  That was in Bloomberg News on March 29.
  Does the majority leader have any information or expectation that we 
would be considering another bill seeking to repeal the Affordable Care 
Act next week? I know the majority leader didn't announce that for next 
week, and I know on Thursday we will break for the Easter break.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield to my friend.
  Mr. McCARTHY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.
  The gentleman does know, from the widespread disagreement, that 
ObamaCare is failing. He disagrees with that, but the majority of 
Americans agree that it is collapsing and that we have to solve this 
problem.
  As of today, I do not have anything scheduled for next week. But as 
we continue discussions with our Members as we move forward, I 
anticipate in the future that we would have that vote.
  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for that information.
  If I hear what the gentleman just said, my interpretation is that we 
don't expect anything next week, but that does not mean that we don't 
expect something in the future. Is that a correct reading of it?
  Mr. Speaker, I yield to my friend.
  Mr. McCARTHY. That is correct.
  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

                          ____________________